Newbie here, tell me all about your band experiences!

I am new here!  I was treating with a surgeon and was all set to do the gastric sleeve.  My insurance company decided after jumping through all the hoops that they will not cover the sleeve.  They will cover lap band or RNY gastric bypass.  I just cannot do something so invasive as the RNY is scares the heck out of me! 

Many people on another site I went to call the Lap band the "crap band" .  I know people can be biased based upon their surgeries. 

Tell me all about your experiences expecially long-term and complications you may have had.  Have you been successful at loosing and keeping off? 

Why do you hear of so many people needing their bands removed or are people just saying that? 

Would love to hear from you all to help me make a decision in my journey!!!1

I call mine a crap band too becuse that's what it is! I lost all of 20 lbs in the last 3 yrs. and finally had it emptied because it keeps tightening up on me. Personally I would never advise anyone to get a band I'd push for the sleeve of go without. We are seeing more and more all the time where the band is causing serious, long term problems and some are life threatening. My surgeons discourage people from getting bands because they just don't work the way the manufacturers portrayed them. Yes I'm biased but I'm far from being the only one, check out failed lapband forum, the revision forum and the vsg forum for lots more info! The band IS NOT all that it is portrayed to be!

Seems like u r going to have rny in September.  But just like any wls it differs with people.  My surgeon helped you determine by eating type, i.e. grazer or volume eater. 
People have problems with their wls for various reasons, some don't follow the rules or feel that they aren't losing weight fast enough and simply because it does not work for them. 

I like my band.  Don't want it removed and had one complication.  My band is unfilled right now otherwise its all good.

Wish you the best with whatever you choose.


Z

The first thing you should is appeal the insurance companies decision. Fight for the surgery you want. Often an appeal will be enough. I wanted the sleeve but because I only had a BMI of 35.8 to start with (though it looked like a lot more) I barely met the requirement for ANY wls, and they said the sleeve was reserved for those with a BMI of 40 and comorbidities or 45 or more. I gave in too soon.

I love my band, and have had great experiences with it. I lost all my weight, and comorbidities. I have had no problem but don't misunderstand, there are people who truly have bad experiences with theirs. I did my research, paid attention to the good things and weighed the negative. I knew the hard work I would have to do, and the risks I would have. I decided to go for it.

The band is not for every one. If you decide to get one make sure you have done your utmost to learn everything you can. Evaluate your past eating behaviors helps to determine success, too, though I shouldn't have succeeded and have. The hardest part is learning new habits to carry me the rest of my life.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

I've had the band almost 2 years and I call mine a CRAP BAND as well! I ended up having 16 fills in less than 15 months and never reached restriction. The band was a complete waste of time and money!!! Had I known then what I know now, I NEVER would have gotten the band. I would not recommend the band to my worst enemy.

You hear of so many ppl needing their bands removed because the band can be very dangerous! There are ppl out there with PERMANENT DAMAGE b/c of the band! If I could afford it, I would have mine removed as well.

I, like many other bandsters fell for that "least invasive" crap that the band manufacturers claim. It is NOT least invasive! It is a very simple surgery and it is very rare to hear of complications DURING band surgery...........ALL THE COMPLICATIONS OCCUR AFTER!

I would suggest u go on the VSG, RNY and DS forum and ask the same question about the band because u will find lots of bandsters on those forum that had to revise to a more effective WLS.

Also on the VSG forum u can ask about appeals with your insurance co. Many VSG'ers have appealed and gotten the procedure approved!

Thanks for your input!  My problem is the insurance company will not cover the sleeve at all, it is not a covered service.  They only cover the lap band or RNY.

I feel so lost and torn, I was sureit was the best for me.  Just had not know enough about lap band experiences. 

 

Many insurance companies state that they do not cover the VSG, but if u appeal they will most of the time approve it, the same is true with DS. Go on the VSG forum and ask for suggestions on how to appeal to get the VSG. I'm sure many on there would be very helpful.

That being said..............If I could afford to revise (no insurance), I would get VSG. My second choice would be RNY. The RNY surgery it's self does have more complications during surgery than the band, but in the long term it's actually safer/more effective than the band.

I am a little over six months out and have not had any problems other than my stiches not healing correctly over my port after surgery, which required me to wait a little long to get my 1st fill.  I love my band and just went in for my 3rd and hope final fill today.  I know I am early out and hope to have continued success!  I have lost 95 lbs. so far.

 95 lbs since your surgery???  Holy cow!!!  How did you do it??  Or are doing it??  that's amazing- 6 mos and 95 gone?? congrats!!!

Well I lost a big 10lbs on my own during the 6 month mandatory insurance following that I had to do and then I of course lost some on the pre-diet but since Feb. I am down 98 lbs now.  I just had a fill this week, so I've lost 3 lbs. like it was nothing due to the liquid diet (which I HATE)!

I follow my dr. rules and try my hardest to not go above 800 calories a day while I'm losing.  I track everything I eat with fitnesspal.com and I walk for about 45-55 min. 5 or 6 days a week.  I have protein with every meal and I try not to snack but if I do, its a Laughing Cow cheese or turkey jerky or a 100 calorie pack of something.  I have been following Hungry Girl too and am using A LOT of her tips and recipes. 

Thank you for the congrats!!!